IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 673 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing 

and Awareness Day, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 17, 2014 

Ms. WATERS (for herself, Ms. LEE of California, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. 

GRIJALVA, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia, Ms. NORTON, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, 

Mr. CLAY, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. HONDA, Ms. HAHN, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. LEWIS, and Mr. HIMES) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/ 

AIDS Testing and Awareness Day, and for other purposes. 

Whereas HIV/AIDS is a devastating epidemic that continues 

to spread in communities throughout the United States; 

Whereas more than 1,800,000 people in the United States 

have been infected by HIV/AIDS since the first cases 

were reported 33 years ago; 

Whereas there are more than 1,100,000 people living with 

HIV/AIDS in the United States today; 


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•HRES 673 IH 

Whereas there are approximately 50,000 new HIV infections 

and approximately 16,000 new AIDS-related deaths every 

year in the United States; 

Whereas every 91⁄2 minutes another person in the United 

States becomes infected with HIV; 

Whereas President Barack Obama released the National 

HIV/AIDS Strategy on July 13, 2010, in order to 

refocus attention on the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic; 

Whereas the National HIV/AIDS Strategy focuses on three 

major goals, including reducing the number of new HIV 

infections, increasing access to care and improving health 

outcomes for people living with HIV and AIDS, and reducing HIV-related health disparities; 

Whereas HIV/AIDS is spreading rapidly among women, 

young people, and racial minorities, all of which are demographic groups that were not considered to be at significant risk of HIV infection during the early years of 

the epidemic; 

Whereas women account for 20 percent of new HIV infections in the United States; 

Whereas African-Americans account for 44 percent of new 

HIV infections, although only 12 percent of the population as a whole is Black; 

Whereas Hispanic-Americans account for 21 percent of new 

HIV infections, although only 16 percent of the population as a whole is Hispanic; 

Whereas Asian-Americans account for 2 percent of new HIV 

infections, and American Indians/Alaska Natives, Native 

Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, and individuals of multiple 

races together account for an additional 2 percent; 


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Whereas African-American women account for 64 percent of 

new HIV infections among women; 

Whereas people of color account for 69 percent of new HIV 

infections; 

Whereas about 16 percent of the people living with HIV/ 

AIDS in the United States do not know they are infected; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 

guidelines for HIV screening in health care settings recommend routine HIV testing for all patients between the 

ages of 13 and 64, regardless of risk factors; 

Whereas individuals are more likely to act responsibly and 

protect themselves and other persons in the community 

when they know their HIV status; 

Whereas encouraging people to be tested for HIV is a critical 

element in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment efforts; 

Whereas individuals who are HIV-positive must learn their 

status in order to obtain counseling on managing their 

health, access appropriate medical and social services, 

begin life-prolonging treatment, and take actions to avoid 

spreading the virus to others; 

Whereas physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, 

and other clinicians play a vital role in providing access 

to HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral 

services, and in encouraging patients to get tested for 

HIV; 

Whereas Howard University College of Medicine has declared 

July 21, 2014, to be the seventh annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day in an effort 

to encourage clinicians nationwide to become actively inVerDate Mar 15 2010 04:27 Jul 18, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR673.IH HR673

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volved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and 

referral services; 

Whereas a diverse group of organizations representing communities affected by HIV/AIDS have partnered with 

Howard University College of Medicine to promote the 

goals and ideals of National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and Awareness Day; 

Whereas the seventh annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS 

Testing and Awareness Day will give all physicians, physician assistants, nurses, dentists, and other clinicians an 

opportunity to get personally involved in the fight against 

HIV/AIDS by taking an HIV test, personally demonstrating the importance as well as the ease of HIV 

testing; 

Whereas the National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and 

Awareness Day will be a call to action to clinicians nationwide to lead the way in dispelling the myths and stigma associated with HIV testing and become vocal advocates for patients and communities; and 

Whereas the National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and 

Awareness Day will encourage clinicians to become actively involved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral services: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of the seventh 

3 annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and 

4 Awareness Day; 

5 (2) encourages primary care physicians and 

6 other clinicians nationwide to become actively inVerDate Mar 15 2010 04:27 Jul 18, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR673.IH HR673

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1 volved in HIV/AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, 

2 and referral services; 

3 (3) encourages the media to observe the seventh 

4 annual National Clinicians HIV/AIDS Testing and 

5 Awareness Day by educating clinicians about the im6 portant role they play in providing access to HIV/ 

7 AIDS awareness, testing, treatment, and referral 

8 services and by educating clinicians and the public 

9 about the benefits of HIV testing; and 

10 (4) encourages individuals to get tested for HIV 

11 and educate themselves about the prevention and 

12 treatment of HIV/AIDS. 

Æ 


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